John Mulaney returned to his old workplace and had an excellent sixth hosting turn, including a Mulaney Musical with Pete Davidson, while Chappell Roan demonstrated why she is such a beloved musical force. The cameo from the real Vice President Kamala Harris that was rumoured earlier in the day was one of the best politician appearances in Saturday Night Live history, all of which made for a triumphant episode. Here's everything that happened on SNL this week.
The Cold Open
A CNN news report covered a Donald Trump rally where James Austin Johnson played the presidential candidate wearing his garbage truck safety vest, and admitting he was spent. He turned it over to Bowen Yang's JD Vance, but then the scene shifted to three TV viewers: Maya Rudolph's Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg's Doug Emhoff and Jim Gaffigan's Tim Walz, waiting backstage for a Harris rally to start. After Walz departed, Dana Carvey's President Joe Biden dropped by to misspeak and say nothing of consequence. Soon Harris was on her own for a moment, before looking into her mirrored reflection to see the actual Vice President Kamala Harris who gave her reassurances, take a few potshots at Trump and riff on the name Kamala, which was amusing and had Rudolph beaming with awe and joy. This was both funny and historic.
The Monologue
One of the show's all-time best hosts, John Mulaney bounded out for some stand-up for the sixth time. He began with announcing that he and his wife, Olivia Munn, just welcomed another child. He joked about the shortness of his family household, based on ethnic stereotypes, and how he's too old to take care of his elderly parents. He had some good material about how in the olden days, people had large families because they expected many of their children to die, which sounds bleaker than it somehow was, and then a typically brisk and enjoyable Mulaney monologue was done.
What's That Name: Election Edition
Michael Longfellow played the host of a game show (once helmed by Bill Hader), whose contestants were played by John Mulaney and Sarah Sherman. Things were going well enough until actual political figures and recent people in the news turned up or were mentioned and stumped Mulaney's character. The actual Senator Tim Kaine was the first to not be recognized, which was funny and there was a clever reveal that Sherman was actually Margaret Atwood, all of which was good.
Midnight Matinee: Beppo in Space
In what now seems to be a recurring remote by Dan Bulla, this week's fake film scene was about a successful-turned-harrowing NASA space mission involving a monkey named Beppo. Mulaney played the NASA rep forced to explain to Beppo that he was going to die, which Beppo was sad about, but then we were taken on a fun trip to a happy ending.
Duane Reade Port Authority Bus Terminal
For this episode's NYC-location-specific Mulaney Musical, his old pal and former cast member Pete Davidson showed up as a customer buying ancient milk. Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim got the songs started, dressed as Lion King-esque opossums. Marcello Hernández played a bottle of shampoo for a Sound of Music number and then Bowen Yang was a surly bus driver for a Les Misérables tune, Chloe Fineman led a Timothee Chalamet lookalike number based on Cabaret's "Willkommen," Devon Walker was disgraced NYC Mayor Eric Adams conjuring Aladdin's "Prince Ali," and, with Hamilton flair, Andy Samberg was back to play a baby bear carcass abandoned by RFK Jr. Chaotic in the tradition of this musical bit and ending with a nod to Grease's "We Go Together," fans of it couldn't have asked for anything more.
Chappell Roan
Beloved and theatrical singer Chappell Roan lived up to her reputation with elaborate staging, colourful costumes, a full band, a couple of "Don't Stop Believing" guitar solos, and a big 1980s power-pop performance of "Pink Pony Club," that had the studio audience shrieking and singing along appreciatively.
In another visual blast of stylish staging, Roan and her band debuted a brand new song, dressed as country western stars, complete with cowboy collared shirts and boots, Daisy Dukes, a prominent fiddle part, and a lesbian-empowering feminist send-up of country boy machismo for the catchy and yet-to-be released, "The Giver."
Weekend Update
Colin Jost covered the U.S. election by ridiculing Donald Trump's disastrous garbage truck pr stunt, recent rally commentary, and simulating giving oral sex to a microphone. Michael Che mocked Trump's MSG hate rally, which Jost followed up upon to insult his beloved Staten Island. Che went on a rant about Trump trying to stay out of prison, while Jost made some decent Biden jokes.
The gifted Heidi Gardner appeared as Reba McEntire to discuss celebrity endorsements of preferred presidential candidates. Gardner played McEntire as a boldly absurd, spasmatic rooster of a person who spewed nonsense, which was rather funny.
Che made a gruesome joke about NYC legalising jaywalking, while Jost mocked Armie Hammer's new podcast. Unwilling to revisit the Yankees' loss, Che abandoned a World Series joke but was rescued by Jost. Che made a dark Diddy joke, and then was the butt of one by Jost.
Marcello Hernández played the very loud and manic Grant and Jane Wickline played the nerdy and introverted Alyssa, who were in an unlikely relationship. This dynamic segment featured Wickline trying to calmly read a poem, while Grant hooted and hollered, which was a comedy success.
Sitcom Pioneers: Family Bonds
Bowen Yang was the host of a PBS show celebrating old sitcoms, including the fictional Family Bonds, whose creator, Jake Paultodd, played by Mulaney was a guest on the show. They recounted an episode featuring a guest turn by Little Richard, as manically played by Kenan Thompson. It seemed that Little Richard stuck around a lot before Family Bonds was cancelled, and then this surprisingly uproarious sketch was finished.
Harvey Epstein
In this remote, Mulaney played the actual NYC state assemblyman running for city council, Harvey Epstein, whose campaign faced an uphill battle because of his name's similarity to Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein. This was very funny.